MAGAZINE ABOUT LIFE IN ISRAEL

Mile High Club for Marriage

Couples in Israel are getting married later in life, and the percentage of people getting married overall has dropped by over 29% since two years ago. This sharp decrease is likely, or most definitely, due to the harsh and strict rulings of the Jewish Rabbinate, who still hold control over the marriage laws in Israel, and tend to make marriage a hellish affair instead of the celebration it’s meant to be.

Funnily enough, the same institution meant to uphold the laws of marriage is the same institution which is slowly eroding the desire of Jewish couples to enter the marriage process within the state of Israel. Another fear which holds is not only in the marriage process, but also that of divorce. The Jewish Rabbinate is a main factor which creates extreme difficulties in allowing for divorce, specifically if initiated by Jewish women. They also create impossibilities for non-Jewish couples and same sex couples to get married, in addition to the hardships they impose for most young, overwhelmed and in love Jewish couples.

Enter Wedding in The Sky, an operation where twelve couples who opposed the Jewish Rabbinate chose to just fly away, literally. It’s common for couples who want to avoid the Jewish marriage process to travel to the nearby island of Cyprus to wed, though these dozen couples took their vows to a whole new level by getting married in the sky.

They hired a plane with officials from Cyprus who were able to conduct a wedding ceremony on flight. We think it’s safe to say that these twelve newlyweds are up in the sky thanks to their new partnerships, and we hope their love continues to soar.

Based in the startup city of Tel Aviv, Zo is a hippie entrepreneur who is professionally passionate about wellness, wisdom, women, writing, and chocolate croissants. By day, she works as a creative consultant, and by heart, she founded School of Shine a positive resource and community for spirited women who aspire to live happier and healthier every day.